Breeding Berghia Advice

[Bubbly]

Hi all, well this past month I find myself joining the ranks of the unemployed...after 25 years with the same employer and one day in walks the owner with the announcement, "We're closed." So now I'm thinking, yah know, I'm going to do some things that I have always wanted to do while I have some time on my hands.

Does anyone have any advice that they are willing to offer on breeding Berghia???

[Leah]

Make sure you have a male and female :wink:

[TRS]

Hi all, well this past month I find myself joining the ranks of the unemployed...after 25 years with the same employer and one day in walks the owner with the announcement, "We're closed." So now I'm thinking, yah know, I'm going to do some things that I have always wanted to do while I have some time on my hands.

Does anyone have any advice that they are willing to offer on breeding Berghia???

Read as much as you can. Here are a couple of links:

http://reefkeeping.com/issues/2004-01/ac/feature/index.php

http://www.breedersregistry.org/Reprints/azaa/1996/berghia_azaa.htm

There are a few others here that have had some success at culturing Berghia. Perhaps they can chime in.

[Bubbly]

Thankyou for posting those links, I have been trying to read up on everything that I can get my hands on. I hope some successful breeders will chime in like you say.

[monocus]

i was breeding them for months then supplying j&l-fairly easy-but you need at least 1 aptaisia a day to feed them.after eggs hatch they take about 3 months before you can sell them.also do not do a water change in your breeder tank for 2 weeks after the eggs hatch or you will be sucking out larva-any other questions feel free to e-mail me at monocus@telus.net

[Bubbly]

i was breeding them for months then supplying j&l-fairly easy-but you need at least 1 aptaisia a day to feed them.after eggs hatch they take about 3 months before you can sell them.also do not do a water change in your breeder tank for 2 weeks after the eggs hatch or you will be sucking out larva-any other questions feel free to e-mail me at monocus@telus.net

No water changes for 2 weeks really?? I was just reading those links and I get the impression that you have to do water changes every day. (I'm not challenging your experience please do not misinterpret me I'm here to learn something). What kind of a filter and protein skimmer were you using?

[Bubbly]

I just did a search on Amazon to see if I can find a book on nudibranches.
Has anyone read this one?

Breeding Berghia Nudibranches the best kept secret

Here's the link on Amazon:

http://www.amazon.com/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=breeding+berghia

[cathyg_99]

i would start at least two full tanks of apatasia first to make sure you have a supply and can keep up with the demand...

[DeneBanger]

Make sure you have a male and female :wink:

Hi Leah, Actually there is no such a thing in the Berghia world! Berghia are hermaphrodites. Each Berghia nudibranch has both male and female reproductive organs, male on one side and female on the other, because of this arrangement each Berghia still needs a mate. However, when two or more Berghia leave a "huddle" (this is called "necking" in the Berghia world) all participants can depart with fertilized egg strings.

[DeneBanger]

i was breeding them for months then supplying j&l-fairly easy-but you need at least 1 aptaisia a day to feed them.after eggs hatch they take about 3 months before you can sell them.also do not do a water change in your breeder tank for 2 weeks after the eggs hatch or you will be sucking out larva-any other questions feel free to e-mail me at monocus@telus.net

...very interesting.

[cathyg_99]

Hi Leah, Actually there is no such a thing in the Berghia world! Berghia are hermaphrodites. Each Berghia nudibranch has both male and female reproductive organs, male on one side and female on the other, because of this arrangement each Berghia still needs a mate. However, when two or more Berghia leave a "huddle" (this is called "necking" in the Berghia world) all participants can depart with fertilized egg strings.

obviously they dont have bits hanging out but i just pictured this and it made me giggle...

[monocus]

i have a 5 gal,a 3 gal, and a two gal for the berghia-plus my 220-you don't have to change water that often.i would change 1/4 once a week using the water from my 220.the reason that you stop for a while is some of the berghia will be swimming through the water column once they hatch and you don't want to suck them up.i was harvesting around 20 from my 3 gal and 60 from my 220(all from the sump-not my main display)per month.after i moved i started up the 5 and 2 gallon-but right now i am just breeding the aptasia

[reefermadness]

I have a idea for aiptasia reproduction.


Get them growing on crushed coral and comb the crushed coral every once in a while......this will make them reproduce like crazy and you can remove them easily.

Dont ask how I know this....